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News Article

New Pentagon Channel Web Site Debuts Feb. 19

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2007  The Pentagon Channel launches a redesign of its Web site Feb. 19, improving its line of products that distribute the channel's military news and information to men and women in uniform.

“The Pentagon Channel’s focus for 2007 is to leverage the interactivity of Web 2.0 to more efficiently and effectively provide the highest quality military news and information to the men and women in uniform, wherever they are, whenever they want,” said Brian Natwick, general manager of the Pentagon Channel.

In addition to its current features of video on demand, live video streaming and podcasting, the redesigned site, www.pentagonchannel.mil, adds two new, highly interactive features. The first includes I-frame technology that allows users to save and send Pentagon Channel video clips so that they can be shared beyond the site. The second is the addition of an upload tool that enables users to upload videos and thus, be even more a part of the Pentagon Channel, Natwick said.

Pentagonchannel.mil also will work on both IBM-style personal computers and Apple’s Mac computers, using Flash 7.0 technology to push out video content.

“Harnessing this new technology augments our ability to communicate relevant, timely and credible military news and information to the men and women of the U.S. military,” Natwick said.

The Pentagonchannel.mil Web site and the broadcast channel both officially launched May 14, 2004. Since the site’s inception, upgrades have included streaming Pentagon Channel programming live around the clock and adding video-on-demand, and audio and video podcast capability.

The Pentagon Channel, the Department of Defense’s cable television channel, broadcasts military news and information for and about the 2.6 million members of the U.S. armed forces -- active duty, National Guard and reserve. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Pentagon Channel helps ensure that U.S. forces remain the best informed in the world, Natwick said.

Today, the Pentagon Channel is available on base to more than a million servicemembers who live and work on 333 military bases, camps and installations in the United States. The channel also is available to the 700,000 servicemembers and their families serving overseas in 177 countries via the American Forces Radio and Television Service.

In addition, the Pentagon Channel reaches more than 12 million households through commercial distribution on satellite and cable systems nationwide.